Chapter 104: Master of the River, Master of the Sea (2)

"Will that creature chase us all the way?" Joey Johansel asked as he looked at the Kraken chasing closely behind the ship.

Karl Mack was maintaining a precarious distance from the monster with his godly navigation skills as they crossed the great sea. It was hard to tell whether the series of events up to this point, including a timely, fortuitous wind, was part of his plan or simply luck.

"Probably. Once a Kraken sets its sights on a prey, it never gives up. It's not called the monster of the sea for nothing.”

Although Krakens typically dwelled in the Archipelago of the Giant Specters, they virtually roamed the entire sea outside of the continents.

"That's completely absurd... Isn’t the Water King essentially an intruder for the master of the sea, encroaching on its territory?” Yurin Huygar asked in a low voice.

"Although it can be found in the Fonein River, the Sea Serpent is actually listed as a marine monster in the bestiary. They haven't encroached on each other's territories until now... This is really a battle between the Water King and the Sea King, isn't it?"

On the other hand, Joey Johansel seemed slightly exhilarated after hearing Karl's plan.

"Using the Kraken to clash with the Water King, who blocks our way to the principality, then taking advantage of the chaos to cross the sea..."

Rather than the upcoming battle between the two behemoths, Yurin was more intrigued by how Karl had come up with such an outrageous yet brilliant plan in such a short time.

Pinning the Water King, who gets more aggressive during spawning but doesn't leave its nest, against the Kraken, which travels across the seas. The plan wouldn’t work if it were the other way around.

Yurin thought Karl had a keen eye for critical elements, despite his young age.

That coachman back then, and now these people around him; none of them are ordinary.

But what intrigued him most was undoubtedly Karyl. Yurin rubbed his nose, as thinking about him made it itch again.

"There’s a certain advantage to having that monster behind us, as ridiculous as it sounds,” Yurin said as he was looking at the calm sea that belied the recent battle.

Yurin pointed toward Karl in the steering cabin. "Now I see why he was so confident about reaching the principality within a month."

Karyl nodded. Since escaping the archipelago, ironically, no other monsters had approached the Howard thanks to the Kraken.

"Normally, the route to the principality would involve detours in order to avoid areas filled with poisonous fish, rock crabs, and armored seahorses..."

But now, they were steering straight toward the principality without needing to take a detour.

"It’s convenient."

Yurin looked at the Kraken.

If only the Water King’s spawning grounds weren’t right on the path to the principality, we could’ve continued straight ahead.

"That would result in not only the Ravat Guild but also us getting annihilated at the principality."

𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

"Ah? Oh... That's true as well."

Yurin Huygar looked embarrassed, as if Karyl had read his thoughts.

***

"Phew...!!"

Karl Mack gripped the helm with trembling hands, finally letting out the breath he had been holding in under the effect of Joey’s blessing mana.

"Just hold on a bit longer."

"Ha, haha... Don't worry, Master."

Karl Mack managed a strained laugh in response to Karyl, who had picked up on his evident exhaustion.

"Honestly, it's already impressive that you've lasted this long. It's been four days."

"It's okay, I had the priest’s mana as well.”

"But..." Joey Johansel looked at Karl Mack with concern. "It's not a matter of physical strength but of mental endurance. An ordinary person would have collapsed by now."

"He chose this for himself.”

"That’s cold... Sometimes you’re colder than you look, Karyl.”

Leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, Karyl lifted his head at Joey's words.

"Colder than I look... Are you judging that because of my age? If there were anyone else who could do this, I would’ve picked them instead of Karl. Your scolding is hardly of any help.”

Chastened by Karyl’s stern demeanor, Joey fell silent.

"It only serves to wear him out more. Karl, we're not far from the Water King's territory now. Please concentrate. Remember, our lives depend on you."

Karyl knew from experience that pressure, rather than clumsy comfort, served to sharpen one’s focus in life-or-death situations.

"I’ll keep that in mind." Karl nodded as he tightened his grip on the helm.

"..."

However, Joey, who had not experienced war, still seemed dissatisfied with Karyl's approach.

Swoosh...

They could hardly tell how long they had been sailing for. The sound of waves crashing against the prow, which had been echoing in their ears, was finally subsiding.

"Ha... Ha..."

Karl’s eyes turned bloodshot as he made one final turn of the helm.

Creak—

But this time was different. The sailing ship that had been gliding smoothly was now motionless, and the reason for that was simple.

"The waves... have stopped?" Joey Johansel murmured in a low voice as he looked out at the sea, which was now as calm as a lake, not a single ripple in sight.

Although a mere murmur, his voice cut through the silence, everyone else having heard him.

Then all of a sudden, the sea was stirring again, not merely from the waves, but as if the seabed was vibrating due to an earthquake.

BOOM—!!

The Howard, previously still, was suddenly lifted and veered sideways as a massive waterspout erupted into the sky.

"...!!!"

Water fell like rain on the deck, and everyone turned their eyes on the massive water pillar.

“Kraaaaa!!!!”

As the water that had shot up disappeared, the Sea Serpent with shimmering blue scales bared its tremendous fangs at them.

"That...! That's the Water King!"

Karl Mack couldn't take his eyes off the monster, its terrifying appearance resembling that of a dragon. He had chosen to come here, but now he shuddered at the sheer majesty of this creature.

"..."

Even Karyl, who had tamed the Lord of the Rolling Hills, felt overwhelmed by the enormous size of the Water King.

I can see why the empire has never tried to hunt this creature.

Even for Karyl, who had traveled back in time, it was his first time seeing a Sea Serpent in person.

“Keeeek...!!”

As if responding to the Sea Serpent's roar, the Kraken that had been following the Howard spewed water and began circling the creature it had abandoned the chase for.

"Phew...!"

As the pursuing Kraken disappeared, Karl finally let go of the helm and slumped to the floor.

"Well, it seems we're no longer of any concern to them," Yurin Huygar said with a smirk.

Now it was a fight between the titans.

"We need to escape while we can. Karl, good job. You might not have managed to shake off the Kraken, but since it’s given up on chasing us, I’ll take over the helm from here,” Karyl shouted.

Bang..!!

Swoosh...!!

The Sea Serpent and the Kraken collided, the sea churning as if enraged.

Crack...!!

The Kraken's thick tentacles coiled around the neck of the Sea Serpent. But despite the Kraken's efforts to pull it underwater, the Sea Serpent held on, maintaining a rigid stance.

Swish...!!

Three more tentacles shot from the water like whips, wrapping themselves around the neck of the Water King.

Crack! Crunch...!!

As the giant creature's suckers clung to the Water King's scales, the sound of its gills being torn filled the air.

"KRAAAK-!!”

Despite the four massive tentacles pulling at it, the Water King withstood the force and roared fiercely at the Kraken.

It seems the Water King is stronger. I'll have to decide based on who deals more damage.

Karyl carefully observed the clash between the two monsters as if analyzing it.

Snap—!!

Above the water surface, the Sea Serpent twisted its body in a large circle, biting one of the tentacles wrapped around its waist with its sharp fangs. The Kraken let out a deafening roar. Large chunks of its flesh were dangling from the Water King's mouth.

One of its tentacles had instantly been shredded, but seemingly indifferent to the pain, the Kraken wrapped its remaining tentacles even tighter around the Water King.

The flesh that had been torn off was quickly covered by a viscous slime, which seemed to elongate and wrap even tighter around the serpent's face.

Hmm... It has regenerative abilities too.

The Water King was tearing at the Kraken’s tentacles, while the Kraken was trying to pull the serpent under water despite receiving damage—a clash between spear and shield.

"That’s brutal. Those monsters..."

"The Water King is tearing off the Kraken’s tentacles one by one with its fangs.”

"But the Kraken is venomous, you know. If it manages to pull it under the water..."

It seemed that the outcome of the fierce battle between the two behemoths was hard to predict for the two priests. Joey and Yurin had differing opinions even as they watched the same scene.

The outcome is predictable.

However, Karyl's eyes sparkled as he watched the Water King.

"Hold tight!" Yurin shouted as if he could wait no longer, grabbing the helm with a firm grip.

"No, stop."

At that, Yurin instantly looked up, noticing a change in Karyl’s voice.

"Karl, take the helm again. Just one more hour. Just endure for one more hour. After that, you can rest all you want until we reach the principality."

"...Yes, sir."

Karl staggered to his feet, ready to follow Karyl’s command without questioning it.

"What are you talking about? Does he look like he can take the helm again? Besides, we need to escape quickly while the Water King is distracted!" Yurin protested as he steadied Karl, who was still staggering on his feet.

"That was indeed Karl Mack's plan, but mine’s different,” Karyl replied calmly. “The crucial part is just beginning. Yurin, I can't entrust the helm to you."

"...What?" Yurin looked at him with a puzzled expression. Was there still a hidden plan? He thought that these people had already exceeded any normal expectations, but...

"I agreed to make those two clash, but I never said we’d escape in the meantime."

"What does that mean...?"

Swoosh—

Karyl slowly drew his Freezing Talon.

"...."

Then, he grabbed the handlebars of the ship, gazing at the two clashing giants. Although the ship was swaying violently, the others felt, somewhat paradoxically, that he stood more steady than when he was unarmed.

"Are we just going to leave those two?" Karyl looked at them as he spoke.

"...What?!" Yurin shouted in a voice filled with astonishment as he suddenly recalled what Karyl had said at the guild before setting sail.

"Don’t tell me... You intend to hunt the Water King?"

"No." Karyl lightly dismissed Joey Johansel's words. He turned around to look at the priest, the corners of his mouth curving into a smile, as though he had been waiting for this moment all along.

"I am going to hunt both of them."